Beulah (series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Beulah.
The Beulah Show was the first television sitcom to star an African American. The Beulah Show ran on radio from 1945 to 1954. The Beulah TV show ran concurrently for three seasons, Tuesday nights at 7:30 ET from October 3, 1950 to September 22, 1953, on ABC. Beulah is a housekeeper and cook for the Henderson family: father Harry, mother Alice and son Donnie. Most of the comedy in the series is derived from the fact that Beulah, referred to as "the queen of the kitchen" [1], has the ability to solve the problems that her Caucasian employers cannot figure out. Other characters included Beulah's boyfriend Bill Jackson, a handy-man who is constantly proposing marriage, and Oriole, a befuddled maid for the family next door.
Contents |
[edit] History
Originally portrayed by Caucasian actor Marlin Hurt, Beulah first appeared in the early 1940s as a supporting character on the popular Fibber McGee and Molly radio series. In 1945, Beulah was spun off into her own radio show, The Marlin Hurt and Beulah Show, with Hurt still in the role. After he died of a heart attack in 1946, he was replaced by another Caucasian actor, Bob Corley, and the series was retitled The Beulah Show. African American actress Hattie McDaniel took over the role in 1947, continuing in The Beulah Show until she became ill in 1952 and was replaced by Lillian Randolph, who was in turn replaced for the 1953-1954 radio season by her sister Amanda Randolph.
In 1950 Roland Reed Productions adapted the property into a TV situation comedy for ABC. Ethel Waters was seen in the title role from 1950 to 1952. McDaniel filled in briefly in 1952, and was succeeded by Louise Beavers the same year. Butterfly McQueen portrayed Oriole, a role similar to her Prissy character in the film Gone with the Wind. Ruby Dandridge, Mrs. Kelso in Cabin In The Sky and mother of Dorothy Dandridge, replaced McQueen when the entire television cast was overhauled upon the arrival of Hattie McDaniel. Percy "Bud" Harris originally portrayed Bill, but walked out on the part during the first season, accusing the producers of forcing him to portray an "Uncle Tom" character. He was succeeded in the role by Casablanca pianist Dooley Wilson until Ernest Whitman followed radio co-stars McDaniel and Dandridge to TV in April of 1952. The show was directed at various times by such future sitcom veterans as Richard (L.) Bare and Abby Berlin.
Like the contemporary television program Amos 'n' Andy, Beulah came under attack from many critics, including the NAACP, which accused the show of supporting stereotypical depictions of black characters. Beulah is considered by some to be a characterization of the stereotypical "mammy", similar to "Aunt Jemima".
After Beulah was cancelled at the end of the 1952-1953 television season, black characters virtually disappeared from television, with only small and infrequent roles surfacing. The next television program to star a black woman in the title role would be Julia in 1968, starring Diahann Carroll.
[edit] Cast
[edit] 1945-1954 (radio)
- Marlin Hurt: Bill Jackson, Beulah (1945-1946)
- Bob Corley: Beulah (1947)
- Hattie McDaniel: Beulah (1947-1952)
- Lillian Randolph: Beulah (1952-1953)
- Amanda Randolph: Beulah (1953-1954)
- Hugh Studebaker: Harry Henderson
- Mary Jane Croft: Alice Henderson
- Henry Blair: Donnie Henderson (1947-1953)
- Sammy Ogg: Donnie Henderson (1953-1954)
- Ruby Dandridge: Oriole
- Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson
- Announcer: Marvin Miller (1947-1953)
- Announcer: Johnny Jacobs (1953-1954)
- Supporting cast members: Louise Beavers, John Brown, Lois Corbet, Dorothy Dandridge, Vivian Dandridge, Roy Glenn, Jess Kirkpatrick, Butterfly McQueen, Nicodemus Stewart,
[edit] 1950-1951 (television)
- Ethel Waters: Beulah
- Wiliam Post, Jr.: Harry Henderson
- Ginger Jones: Alice Henderson
- Clifford Sales: Donnie Henderson
- Percy "Bud" Harris: Bill Jackson (October 1950 to early 1951)
- Dooley Wilson: Bill Jackson (early 1951 to 1952)
- Butterfly McQueen: Oriole
[edit] 1951-1952 (television)
- Ethel Waters: Beulah
- Wiliam Post, Jr.: Harry Henderson
- Ginger Jones: Alice Henderson
- Clifford Sales: Donnie Henderson
- Dooley Wilson: Bill Jackson
- Butterfly McQueen: Oriole
[edit] April 1952 (television)
- Hattie McDaniel: Beulah
- David Bruce: Harry Henderson
- Jane Frazee: Alice Henderson
- Stuffy Singer: Donnie Henderson
- Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson
- Ruby Dandridge: Oriole
[edit] 1952-1953 (television)
- Louise Beavers: Beulah
- David Bruce: Harry Henderson
- Jane Frazee: Alice Henderson
- Stuffy Singer: Donnie Henderson
- Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson
- Ruby Dandridge: Oriole
[edit] Reference
- Bodroghkozy, Aniko. Beulah. The Museum of Broadcast Communications.
